Axl Rose has been voted the greatest lead singer of all time.

The Guns N' Roses frontman topped the survey carried out by website Musicradar.com, beating off competition from the likes of late Queen star Freddie Mercury and veteran Led Zeppelin rocker Robert Plant, who were placed second and third placed respectively.

The website commented: "Think back to the late 1980s. Axl Rose: dangerous, lean, angry, confrontational, controversial."

Axl, 48, was overjoyed to scoop the accolade and thanked fans for their votes.

He posted on the group's Facebook page: "Thank you for all of the support you give us day in day out. All you folks on Facebook, Myspace, Twitter, the message boards that fight the good fight - we feel it and very much appreciate it - THANK YOU!. And special thanks to MusicRadar for holding the poll and letting people speak."

Also featured in the poll were Ronnie James Dio, the Black Sabbath star who passed away earlier this year, and late Beatles legend John Lennon, who rounded out the top five.

John's bandmate Sir Paul McCartney placed tenth, while the rest of the top 10 was comprised of Iron Maiden's Bruce Dickinson, Radiohead star Thom Yorke, late Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain and Muse rocker Matt Bellamy.

Musicradar.com's greatest lead singers of all time:

1. Axl Rose

2. Freddie Mercury

3. Robert Plant

4. Ronnie James Dio

5. John Lennon

6. Bruce Dickinson

7. Thom Yorke

8. Kurt Cobain

9. Matt Bellamy

10. Paul McCartney